Godwin Emefiele, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor has refuted claims that he owns some funds and property forfeited to federal government.
Gatekeepers News reports that Yellim Bogoro, the presiding judge of federal high court in Lagos, granted the final forfeiture of $4.7 million, N830 million, and multiple properties allegedly linked to him.
Emefiele in a press statement by Olawale Fapohunda, clarified that a part of the assets belong to his relatives, and not himself or his immediate family.
He asked those associating him and his immediate family with the assets to stop doing so in the interest of fairness.
Emefiele added that the federal high court had previously discharged an interim forfeiture order on the same assets, which is now ordered to be forfeited by Bogoro.
The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to recent news reports indicating that Justice Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted a final forfeiture order on certain properties allegedly linked to one Anita Joy Omoile and her companies, including DeepBlue Energy Limited.”
“It is important to clarify that DeepBlue Energy Limited, established in 2009, is owned by a relative of our client, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, but not by Mr. Emefiele himself.”
“For the avoidance of any doubt, we, as the legal representatives of Godwin Emefiele, categorically disassociate our client from the ownership of the assets in question.”
“For emphasis, the assets in question do not belong to our client or any member of his immediate family.”
“Furthermore, information reaching us suggests that Justice Aneke of the same Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, had previously discharged an interim forfeiture order on the same assets now forfeited by Honourable Justice Bogoro.
“We urge all stakeholders and members of the public to take note of this clarification and stop associating these assets with Mr. Godwin Emefiele.”
